June 13, 2005 – Rosemont, IL –IPA, The Association of Graphic Solutions Providers, and the Ghent PDF Workgroup (GWG) have announced preliminary results of the first IPA Workflow RoundUP from the IPA Technical Conference.
The Workflow RoundUp employing Ghent PDF Workgroup workflow test files was designed to address critical issues faced in design, prepress and print production, as well as educate the industry on workflow best practices. Attendees of the IPA Technical Conference are the first to witness detailed analysis of common workflow challenges in the areas of application bugs, limitations, image types, overprints, raster/vector object handling, transparency, font handling, and more.
Highlights from the Workflow RoundUP include:
•Image support limitations in creative applications
•Inconsistencies in output processing
•Need for common default behavior handling
•Lack of support for handling files with multiple output intents
“We are pleased with the number of suppliers that participated in this important educational project,” says David Zwang, IPA Workflow RoundUP Team Leader and GWG vice chairman. “As a result of the project we were able to confirm that the industry has some work to do to ensure reliable design, and print production processes.“
Zwang adds, “The Workflow RoundUp will enable the Ghent PDF Workgroup to more rapidly develop best practice guidelines for all the participating workflows. Our goal is to make each workflow’s PDF files produce consistently and successfully anywhere in the world.” As such, Zwang says, supplier participants will have crucial best practice information to provide to customers.
Participating suppliers of the Workflow RoundUP include Agfa, Artwork Systems, Blanchard Systems, CGS Publishing, Creo Americas, Dalim, Heidelberg, Screen USA, and Xitron.
A white paper and a webinar based on the Workflow RoundUP test results are planned. Look for more information as they become available at: www.ipa.org and www.ghentpdfworkgroup.org